


The Whole "Being Immortal" Thing

by Thegaylawyer



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Byleth doesn't know Seteth is alive, Byleth is basically a god, Byleth is depressed, Byleth still has the Crest of Flames stone, Cannon Divergence, Crimson Flower, Everybody's dead!, Gen, Green people went into hiding, Immortal Byleth, M/M, Seteth is not good at keeping his identity a secret, Setleth, Slow Burn, Suicide mention, or does he?, somewhat angsty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23959696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thegaylawyer/pseuds/Thegaylawyer
Summary: Byleth is alive for way too long and doesn't know the man he was fond of is still alive.
Relationships: Edelgard Von Hresvelg/ My Unit | Byleth (implied), My Unit | Byleth & Seteth, My Unit | Byleth/Seteth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	The Whole "Being Immortal" Thing

**Author's Note:**

> FYI, this is basically an AU where Byleth keeps the crest stone and becomes the reincarnation of Sothis during CF. Everyone in BE is dead, hence the "Major character death" warning 
> 
> This is also a concept I've been wanting to try out for a while now, and it's also my first chaptered fic! 
> 
> Also, I SEVERLY apologise for messing up any names! I cannot spell for the life of me, and having minor dyslexia plays into that as well!

The death of Petra Macneary marked the end of an era across the Adrestian Empire. She was the last of the main army to fall. It was the thirteenth day of the Ethereal moon, the imperial year 1244, a day which was now etched into Byleth’s mind. Everyone around him that he had ever known was gone, and he was the only one left behind. He looked the same as he did all those years ago, just now he was sitting on the throne of a major empire alone. There had been reappointments to the positions of the prime minister and the minister of the imperial household stepped down, but there was no one to fill the emperor. 

Byleth often wandered the halls of the palace alone in a state of depression and existential dread. He was technically a god, which made him immortal. He could easily outlive any human, but he didn’t realize that until too late. He had already made friends and acquaintances. He had already formed the bonds with… Humans. He often called them that. It was so foreign, because in a sense, yes, he was human, but now he’s something different. Now he’s a deity that no one can match. Why did Seiros have to do that to him? Why couldn’t he die off like the rest of them? It was painful to watch, and it was painful to experience.

Still, he performed his tasks as normal, still getting the odd questions of his age, which he would respond with the typical shrug with the phrase “I don’t know” attached. It would always make people suspicious, but at least it would get them off his case. He was 96 last time he checked. He worked with the people on the common things. Figuring out treaties, and helping people in the street. He used to do this with someone, but it had been, what, 30 years since Edelgard passed? So he was stuck with this dread all alone. 

Everything had to be fine, though. He had to appear fine for the people, even though every part of him was saying it was not. People had to assume that the emperor for the rest of time was a fine and capable ruler. He had to give off the appearance that he was in control of things, that he was still the best man for the job. If he looked even the slightest bit off to the people, they would call for a new leader. So that’s why Seiros did it. That’s why she stayed calm and emotionless 24/7. Damn her. Why was she the perfect figurehead? It was hideous to think about, but even Edelgard admitted some light about her. I guess that’s what she would have wanted? It was impossible to tell thanks to, you know, the whole “being dead” thing. 

Even though it was the death of only one person, it still hurt Byleth. The entire field of friends was empty, instead of the one still hanging on. It was the best for the Eagles to move onto their next step at life, but it left alone the man who witnessed it all.

Maybe it was best for Byleth to end it all. After all, he shouldn’t be alive right now, so why should he keep living? Though, the more he thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense. He couldn’t just kill himself, he was a god. It’s impossible to kill one, right? Well, Nemesis did, but Byleth wasn’t nemesis. He had to assure himself of this many times, but yes, he is not in fact him. Eventually, the thought of taking his own life passed. It was a harmful mindset that only proved to worsen his already damaged mental state. It was a stupid thought, and he was glad he didn’t take it into action. Still, the depression lingered.

________________________

Months passed since Petra’s death before Byleth even thought about recovery. It had been a struggle with even interacting with people since then. Why should he even bother with them if they were all going to eventually leave? He had now often found himself locked in his room, reading through endless texts and tomes, trying to find something to get his mind off of life. 

A lot of them were history books. He was finding comfort in reading the twisted book of the Adrestian history and how it made everyone look like they were the bad guys. Faergus was just a fraud brought upon by corrupt rulers, the Alliance was made up of idealists who couldn’t follow through, the church was a power-hungry organisation that wanted to brainwash the masses, etcetera etcetera etcetera. These statements were so humorous to Byleth. Knowing the students in the other houses, and even recruiting them, he knew these were absolute falsities. Though that’s what the Eagles wanted people to believe, and that’s what he let them do.  
Byleth didn’t really like to read anything else. Though, one day, that changed. On one of the rare times when Byleth snuck out of his room, he headed to the Royal Library. It was a place filled to the brim with books of all different sorts. At the time of night he went, the only person there was a librarian. She was older and very sweet. She appreciated the darkness more than the light, and she treated Byleth like another person, not as the ruler of a nation. Anyways, even though Edelgard protested against it, there was a secret section to the library. A closed-off back room filled with books from the old world. This is where he found a great deal of pleasure. It was a place where he could relive the memories from a past life. A place that felt more home than the rest of the empire. It was nice.

After a solid 5 hours of reading, he noticed something strange. There was a newer book in the collection. The spine, from what Byleth could tell, wasn’t the slightest bit damaged. When he reached for the book, he saw that it was a collection of stories. Strange, but intriguing. The only one who wrote stories such as these was… No… He couldn’t be alive. It was impossible. Flipping through the book, glancing at the stories along the way, he came to the end. There, marked a signature dated 1243. It was an unusual name from what Byleth could tell, but that signature resonated in his mind. The style of writing, the way the letters were placed… It couldn’t be… Quickly, he slammed the book closed in a panic. The noise of the book echoed throughout the library, even making the librarian jump. The older lady peeked around the corner from where Byleth was to check on him. 

“Y'alright there, dearie?” She asked, still clearly startled.

“I’m fine,” He lied, holding the book tightly in his hands, “Actually, I have a favour to ask of you. Do you know who wrote this?”

“I do, in fact,” she responded, gazing at the cover, “If I’m correct, that’s one of the newer poets around here. I believe his name is Coeus Stosch. That book you have here was recently given to me here, but it looked so similar to the ones in the archive, I thought it would blend right in! I am now realizing how foolish that was of me I’m s-”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Byleth instructed, cutting the lady off, “That’s all the information I needed. If you don’t mind, I’m going to borrow this.”  
“Oh, I don’t mind at all! Just make sure to return it by next week!” She smiled waving him off.

Byleth waved back as he fled the scene in almost too much of a hurry. So he is alive. He was much older than Byleth so he should have been long gone by now… Unless… No. Tomorrow he will put a word to his men to mind this man, and figure out the mystery behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> I will continue this whenever I get the inspiration, I will update whenever I post a new chapter on my twitter, which is @pogcats 
> 
> I wrote this all in one sitting, so sorry if my writing seems off


End file.
